December 15, 2018
ASSOCIATION NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE
Brothers and Sisters,
THE TWU/IAM Association executive negotiating committee participated on a conference call conducted by National Mediation Board mediators yesterday, December 14, 2018. Negotiators from American Airlines also participated.
The mediators recapped the remaining open items to be negotiated.

In probe of disaster that killed 189 people, greater attention is being paid to airline’s maintenance practices
An official from the Indonesian National Transportation Safety Commission examines an engine from the downed Lion Air Flight 610 in Jakarta on Nov. 4. PHOTO: BEAWIHARTA/REUTERS
By Andy Pasztor
Updated Nov.

Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. No matter or how far we drift away, mindfulness is the ability to bring us back to focus on where we are and what we’re doing and how we are feeling. If you want to know what mindfulness is, it is best to try it for a while. Since it’s hard to nail down in words, you will find slight variations in the meaning in books, websites, audio, and video. Here’s an all-purpose definition that treats mindfulness as a quality that every human being already possesses, rather than something we have to conjure up:

Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.

Mindfulness can be cultivated through proven techniques. Try to get comfortably seated or lie down, ( be careful not to fall asleep). You can be mindful while walking, taking public transportation or exercising. Practice taking short pauses throughout the day. You can practice mindfulness with other activities, such as yoga or sports. When we meditate, the benefits are numerous. Mindfulness reduces stress, enhances performance, helps with insight and awareness through observing our own mind, and increases attention to others’ well-being. Mindfulness meditation gives us a time in our lives when we can suspend judgment and unleash our natural curiosity about the workings of the mind. We can then approach our experiences with warmth and kindness—toward others and ourselves.

A Few Things to Know About Mindfulness:

1) Mindfulness is not obscure or exotic. It is familiar to us because it’s what we already do, how we already are. It takes many shapes and forms.

2) Mindfulness is not a special added thing we do. We already have the capacity to be present, and it doesn’t require us to change who we are. But we can cultivate these innate qualities with simple practices that are proven to benefit ourselves, our loved ones, our friends and neighbors, the people we work with, and the institutions and organizations we take part in.

3) You don’t need to change. Solutions that ask us to change who we are or to become something we’re not can easily lead to failure in remaining mindful. Mindfulness recognizes and cultivates the best of who we are as humans.

4) Mindfulness can be transformative. Here’s why:

• Anyone can do it. Mindfulness practice cultivates universal human qualities and does not require anyone to change their beliefs. Everyone can benefit and it’s easy to learn.

• It’s a way of living. Mindfulness is more than just a practice. It brings awareness and caring into everything we do—and it cuts down needless stress. Even a little makes our lives better.

• It is evidence-based. Science and experience demonstrate its positive benefits for our health, happiness, work, and relationships.

• It sparks innovation. As we deal with our world’s increasing complexity and uncertainty, mindfulness can lead us to effective, resilient, low-cost responses to seemingly unresolvable problems.

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Types of Meditation:

(excerpts from The Huffington Post: How to Meditate: A Primer for People Who Don’t Like to Meditate)

Movement meditation.

If you become antsy sitting still for even a few minutes, movement

meditation might be for you. This type of meditation allows you to become conscious about

movement while strengthening your muscles. Movement meditation isn’t for the timid: some

classes push your body to a point where you can’t focus your mind on the movements.

Mindful meditation.

Focus is on your breathing and bringing your mind back to the moment.

Mindfulness meditation can be challenging because the mind loves wandering aimlessly into

around in the past or future!

Transcendental Meditation (TM).

With TM, a practitioner gives you a word that you silently repeat

20 minutes, twice a day, allowing you to “transcend” into deeper levels of consciousness. When

your mind wanders or a thought enters, you simply bring your attention gently but firmly back to the

word.

Visualization meditation.

You might know an athlete who uses this type of meditation to “visualize”

their competition. Choose a word, activity, or goal and give your complete attention to that thought.

Breathing as well as calming your mind and body are crucial precursors for visualizing these goals

This month we would like to review The Retirement Equity Act of 1984, This mandated that pension plans provide a benefit for the surviving spouse of an employee who dies vested, but prior to retirement. This is known as the Qualified Pre-retirement Survivor Annuity (QPSA). Because this requirement adds to pension costs, employers are allowed to recover the cost by reducing the employee’s pension at retirement. The AA reduction at retirement for QPSA coverage does not fully cover the cost of providing this benefit. American still heavily subsidizes QPSA coverage. QPSA coverage is mandatory and automatic unless the employee and spouse sign a waiver. The benefit and how the charge is calculated are explained in detail in the Summary Plan Description.

If You Are Married

If you die before you begin receiving your retirement benefit, your surviving Spouse may receive a Qualified Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity (QPSA). The QPSA provides an Annuity for your surviving Spouse’s lifetime if you are vested, have been married at least one year at the time of your death, and you have not waived QPSA coverage.

The QPSA is payable on the date you would have reached age 65. However, your surviving Spouse may elect to receive reduced benefits on the first day of the month on or after the date you would have been eligible for Early Retirement.

Your benefit is calculated as though you terminated employment on the date of your death. If you do not have a QPSA Election Form on file, your Spouse will receive the Spouse’s portion (50%) of a Qualified Joint and Survivor Annuity. If you do have a QPSA Election Form on file, your Spouse will receive the benefit form that you selected. Effective October 1, 1994, if you elect an Enhanced Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity, your Spouse’s portion of the benefit will be based on that election. The benefit will be reduced by Early Retirement factors, if applicable.

If you do not waive QPSA coverage or if you elect the Enhanced Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity, your retirement benefit may be reduced for each year or fraction of a year that coverage is in effect, depending on your age.

:

For each year you are:

Your retirement benefit is reduced by:

Under 35

No reduction

35-45

0.02% per year

45-49

0.05% per year

50-54

0.15% per year

55-59*

0.40% per year

60-64

0.60% per year

Over 65

0.00%

:

Your benefit is reduced for all the months of coverage, regardless of whether the coverage is in effect when benefit payments begin. The cost of coverage is solely based on your age at the time the coverage was in effect. For example, if you retire at age 60 as a single employee, but had coverage from age 35 to age 44, your benefit at age 60 would be reduced for ten years of coverage. The result is a 0.2% reduction to your accrued benefit (0.02% x 10 years). Reductions for this coverage begin as of the date you become vested or age 35, whichever is later.

QPSA reductions stop accumulating when you waive coverage, notify the Company of a divorce, or become eligible for Early Retirement. Once you qualify for Early Retirement, your Spouse is entitled to a QPSA even if you waived coverage earlier.

If You Divorce

If you and your Spouse divorce, your QPSA coverage ends as of the date you notify the Company of the divorce. If a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) is in effect, QPSA coverage may continue for the alternate payee’s portion of the benefit until you meet the requirements to commence a pension. You must report the divorce to HR Services.

If You Are Single

No benefits are payable to your Beneficiary unless you participated in the Plan before April 1, 1978, and made employee contributions which were not refunded.

If You Die After Retirement Benefits Begin

Upon your death after retirement, any death benefit payable will be based on the form of payment you elected at retirement.

To check to see if your spouse and what percentage is elected, sign into JETNET and go to Team member services, view more, Pension service center, my pension, TWU Retirement Plan Estimate your pension, View My Plan Specific Data, scroll down and you should see your percentage and Enhanced Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity Beneficiary, if not satisfied fill out form and mail in as instructed. As always contact your EAP/MAP team for any questions.